SHIPPING TRADE AT THE FIJIS.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1284, 14 January 1870, Page 2

SHIPPING TRADE AT THE FIJIS.

{From the Fiji Times.)

Dubing the year 1867, there entered Levuka3797 tons of shipping, last year in increased 5000 tons, and this year has reached 6000 tons. It must be remembered that this tonnage consists of regular trading ships, having as a rule their resident agents or owners. We have also an insular fleet of small craft, estimated in the aggregate at 600 tons, constantly employed trading between the 200 islands and islets of our fertile Group, and bringing to this port for transhipment the cargoes of beche-de-mer, cocoa nlitoil, and cotton. The over-sea shipping trade to Fiji, unlike that entering at Samoa or Tahiti, is seldom or never broken in upon by a mere passer-by, in want of stores or refreshments, but consists, as stated above, of bona fide traders to the country. At Samoa there entered last year about 5900 tons of British shipping, of which two-thirds were Colonial borind vessels from California, and whalers. There was exported some 500,000 pounds of clean cotton, of 1428 bales, chiefly of the kidney variety ; the quantity of oil is unknown, as the principal merchants there export the dried kernel of cocoanut, instead of exporting the oil as formerly. Fiji exported 700,000 pounds of clean cotton, chiefly of fine varieties, worth £31,000, and other produce to the value of £10,000. The number of British ships entering the Ports of Papiefcei'in 1867 wna 33, aggregating 7000 tons, with cargoes valued at £44,880. We have stated 6000 tons, or 73 vessels, have already entered Levuka during the present year; theee ships employed 438 seamen and the values of their cargoes has bpen estimated by a critical observer to be worth £50,000.

We are glad to learn that the erection of the lighthouse at Cape Campbell is progressing well, and will probably be finished in about six weeks. The house is an open ■wooden structure sixty feet high, and the light -will be a revolving white one, of the second order, visible at nineteen miles distance. The contractor is Mr. Carter, of Wellington, and the.work is being carried on under the superintendence of Mr. C. J. Igglesden, C.E.—Wellington Evening Post. Auckland Expobts.—During the quarter ending December 31, 1869j the following,were theprincipal exports from Auckland Province: — Gold, 40,557 ounces, valued at £139,082 ; flax, 313 tons 2 cwts, valued at £9035; kauri gum, 732 tons 19 cwts., valued at £31,089; and wool, 208,491 lbs., yalued at £10,766. Total value of exports, £189,972; showing an increase over the September quarter of £43,852. With reference to the gold returns (says the Southern Cross) the gold received from Westlahd is not included in the 40,557 ounces. The receipts of gold at Auckland from Westland, during the quarter, were— Westport, 4751 ounces, value £19,581; Greymouth, 2174 ounces, value £8697. , :; ,' ;

Poub Pebsons Drowned.—A sad story, says the Melbourne Age, comes from Dromana,' Victoria. It appears that on Sunday four yonng men engaged |a Maori named Patrick to convey them from Bye to Point Nepean. Next morning the stern sheets of the boat were picked up on the beach, and about two o'clock on Monday the body of the Maori was found between Point Nepean and the White Cliff. It w supposed that the boat must have capsized during the heavy squall that occurred on that afternoon; and it is too much to be feared that the parties wer* unable to manage the boat through iDtoxkttion, m itUkwnntht,ttfc*jhftd,a ypti/ty tf I^l^